The present invention relates to a technical field of an electrical connection system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrical connection system comprising a first component and a second component with a latch element which allows electric contacts of the first component to be shorted together when the first component and the second component are not in proper electrical connection and allows the electric contacts to be released from the short-circuit when the proper electrical connection of the both components is made.
The present invention is particularly suitable for use in an airbag system for restraining passengers in a vehicle and will be described with reference thereto; however, the invention is capable of broader application and could be used in many different environments and for a variety of purposes.
The airbag system includes an airbag assembly mounted in a hidden compartment within a cab of the vehicle and an electrical or electronic control system. The control system is connected to the airbag assembly by means of a wiring harness which typically is provided with an electrical plug and jack connector arrangement to permit an easy method of electrically joining the airbag assembly and the control system after they have been installed separately.
The connection system incorporates a so-called shorting clip. Shorting clips are small metal elements arranged to electrically short the leads together within the plug or jack before the plug and jack are engaged. Such shorting clips are included as a safety means, to preclude stray leakage of electrical charges and inadvertent misconnection from accidentally triggering the airbag assembly during the manufacturing process.
When the connection system is connected correctly, the safety means for electrical shorting by means of the shorting clip must be moved to a non-shorting position. The connection system having a latch element to release the safety catch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,575 and Japanese Patent No. 2,647,336. The connection system has the structure in which the electrical connection system is not put into action until the both components are in their full engaged position and the latch element has been moved to its latching position. The latch element functions to prevent accidental disconnection of the both connection components after they are fully connected.
However, two stage operation, consisting of the first step operation of bringing the both components into engagement and the second step operation of inserting the latch element in the both components up to its latching position, is required for putting the connection system into its full connection state. Also, since the latch element is integrally mounted on one of the both components by means of a flexible arm, the one component is increased in size, resulting in being hard to deal with the connection system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,345 and Japanese Patent No. 2,647,335 disclose the connection system wherein when the both components are connected correctly, the electrical shorting by means of the shorting clip is released, while also, once the latch element is inserted therein, the connection of the both components is prevented from being accidentally disconnected.
However, two stage operation is required for putting the connection system into its fully connected state, as is the case with U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,575. Also, due to the provision of the latch element, one of the components is increased in size, resulting in being hard to deal with the connection system.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 4(1992)-33,666 discloses the connection system wherein after the electrical connection has been taken place correctly between the first and second components, the latch element latched in advance in the second component is pressed so that it can be latched at the position where the both components are prevented from being disconnected accidentally. However, it has no shorting element for the first component. In addition, the engaging operation of the both components and the pressing operation of the latch element are taken place in two stages.
The present invention provides the electrical connection system that can effect the engaging operation of the both components and the pressing operation of the latch element for releasing the shorting of the shorting element in the one component element in one continuous motion and also can be designed to be compact on the whole.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide the electrical connection system wherein after the latch element latched in a first position with respect to one of two components is pressed in to bring the both components into engagement, it can be pressed continuously to a second position in which the shorting of the shorting element in the other component is released by the latch element, whereby the connection is effected in one operation as a whole.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the electrical connection system wherein the latch element is designed to project out from the one component to only a required minimum extent to press the latch element to the second position when the latch element is in the first position, so as to enable the entire connection system to be made compact in size.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide the electrical connection system wherein the latch element is designed to press in from the first position to the second position, and as such enables the visual check on whether the both components are in the connected state.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the electrical connection system wherein when the latch element is pressed in from the first position to the second position, it acts to release the shorting of the shorting element and also prevent the both components from being separated from each other, to accomplish the full connection of the both components.
The present invention provides an electrical connection system including a first component for supporting a first male electrical connector element and a second component engaged with the first component and supporting a second female electrical connector element engageable with the first male electrical connector element. A shorting element is mounted in advance on the first component, for electrically shorting the first male electrical connector element. A latch element is latched in advance in a first latching position with respect to the second component. By pressing the latch element, the second component is engaged with the first component and simultaneously the latch element latched in the first latching position is released and is pressed further to the second latching position in which the shorting of the shorting element is released by the latch element.
Preferably, when the latch element is in the latched state in the first position, a part of the same projects out from the second component, while on the other hand, when the second component is in engagement with the first component and the latch element is in the latched state in the second position, the part of the same is accommodated in a recess in the second component.
As apparent from the description above, the latch element is pressed to move from the first latching position to the second latching position and, thereby, both the engagement of the first and second components and the release of the shorting by the shorting element are effected in one continuous pressing operation. In addition, the proper electrical connection between the first and second components can be confirmed by simply checking that the latch element is in the second position.
According to a further limitative feature of the present invention, the latch element is provided with a restricting portion for restricting an action of the second component to disengage from the first component, in order to prevent the disconnection, when the first and second components are in engagement with each other and the latch element is in the second latching position